Feinberg names law firms to assist oil spill claims in 3 states; Alabama not among them

Ken Feinberg, the administrator of the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, named a group of legal and professional firms to help individual and business claimants in the “most heavily trafficked offices” in 3 states Tuesday, but he has yet to name a representative in Alabama.

Feinberg is expected to name an Alabama representative to assist on oil claims within the next few weeks, according to spokeswoman Debra DeShong Reed.

The representative firms in Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana were chosen after Feinberg consulted with governors, attorneys general and other officials in those states, Reed said.

Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon, who in the past has voiced strong concerns about the claims process, said that as of Tuesday officials in Alabama were still in discussions with Feinberg about who would represent the state.

“Nothing has been finalized,” Kennon said, declining to elaborate on the discussions.

Officials with Gov. Bob Riley’s office on Tuesday could not confirm the status of those talks.

The Florida firm, Burke Blue, along with attorney John Boggs, would be stationed in offices in Panama City, Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola and Santa Rosa Beach.

Representatives from Louisiana’s Long Law Firm, LLP, would be stationed in the New Orleans claims facility, while Hammerman & Gainer Inc., a Louisiana claims administration company, would assist in Gretna, La., and Naples, Fla.

As of Tuesday, the GCCF had paid out $2.6 billion to 167,940 claimants across the Gulf Coast. More than $500 million has gone to Alabama, while more than $230 million has gone to Mississippi, according to the latest figures on the facility’s website.

By comparison, more than $1 billion has been paid to Florida, while individual and business claimants in Louisiana have received close to $1 billion.

Earlier this month, Feinberg offered a quick-pay oil spill settlement of $5,000 for individuals or $25,000 for a business approved for an emergency claim.

As of this week, Feinberg had paid out more than $8 million of that type of payment in Alabama; while paying nearly $3.4 million in Mississippi.